Wildlife research in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa

New staff member: Welcome Andy!

The Primate and Predator Project is excited to welcome a new member of staff to the field team at Lajuma! Andrew Allen has joined us as our new Primate Research Coordinator.

Andy collecting vegetation plot data at Lajuma

Andy started out working in forestry and woodland management, achieving his FdSc from Plumpton College in 2010. In 2011 he completed his BSc in Ecology & Biogeorgraphy, before moving to the USA to work for The Great Basin Institute, studying nest site selection in flying squirrels around Lake Tahoe. He stayed with GBI after the completion of this project, and moved to Las Vegas to study desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert. Upon returning to England he began studying towards an MRes in Ecology at the University of York. This included a 5 month placement with the Institute of Zoology, studying video footage of wild chacma baboons. After finishing this placement and graduating from York, he was afforded the opportunity to work as a research assistant on the Tsaobis Baboon Project with the Institute of Zoology. After 4 months working on this project, he returned home, before taking up the role of Primate Research Coordinator at the Primate and Predator Project in February 2015.

Andy will be replacing Caroline Howlett later this month. Caroline has been working for the project for a year and has done an absolutely incredible job. From following baboons all day to testing anti-crop raiding fences, from helping collar a vervet monkey to patiently training research assistants, Caroline has been a star and will be missed.

We wish Andy all the best in his new role and Caroline all the best for the future.